Why it's wrong to mock Richard Di Natale's turtleneck

The internet mocked him and his turtleneck but come winter it will be Richard Di Natale who gets the last laugh, both at the shops and at the polls if his new GQ Australia tell-all interview is to be believed.

"He was very comfortable in that turtleneck. They are huge right now in Europe for winter, so just wait a few months and every man will want one. Richard is definitely ahead of the curve here in Australia," GQ Australia editor Matthew Drummond said. "For all the stick he's copped, taking part in this interview and shoot, a high fashion shoot like this, shows he's a man who is comfortable and confident in himself."

While he rocked the Hugo Boss rollneck sweater as well as Christian Louboutin brogues without socks, Di Natale did originally request to wear Australian designers for the spread.

In the corresponding Q&A, Di Natale fielded many wide ranging questions for the new issue of the gentlemen's quarterly which hits stands on Monday, almost coinciding with his one year anniversary as leader of the Greens.

Drummond conducted the interview after the first sitting day of parliament this year and the two chewed the fat over a Coopers Pale Ale and some of Di Natale's homemade salami made from home reared pigs his children named Salt and Pepper before the former vegetarian had them butchered.

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"My view is if you're going to eat an animal ... If you can guarantee it's had a good life, that's a good thing. It's honest, you know, what's involved. But you don't take any pleasure in it," he said while chewing and choking.

The subject of food also reinstated the Victorian senator's relaxed position on genetically modified foods, which he believes do not pose health concerns, once again positioning himself in direct opposition to a hallmark of Greens policy.

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He tip-toed around the issue of cutting deals with the Liberal coalition on things like Senate voting reform and tax transparency, much to the chagrin of some of his party room and Labor.

If Malcolm Turnbull's slogan is that he'll never rule anything out, Di Natale takes his cues from Justin Bieber replying: "Never say never" when asked if he'd ever form a Liberal coalition.

"Even though I disagree with the Liberals on almost everything, on occasions there's an issue where we can get an outcome in the national interest. So you have to put the policy before the politics...You have to put the policy first and then the politics looks after itself," he said.

Drummond believes the former doctor and VFL star is one of the most pragmatic leaders in Canberra with enough ambition to move the Greens from fringes of the left to a major player at the centre of politics.

Welcome to the A-list, My Aly

Waleed Aly has been described by Men's Style Australia as the "most important man on TV". Photo: Duncan Killick/Men's Style Australia

The academic and co-host of The Project appears on the cover of the new issue of the magazine and editor Michael Pickering makes no apologies for the bold, broad statement.

"I had to fight for those cover lines. I've wanted to feature him for quite some time, he's this big brained man who thinks before he speaks. There is a reason everything he says goes viral online," Pickering said.

Aly is an enigma in today's media landscape, considering the topics he regularly tackles, including Boko Haram, ISIS, climate change and Andrew Bolt, the 37-year-old former lawyer doesn't resort to the shock jock type tactics of the latter to garner attention. Not that he likes the attention.

"He'd bristle at the thought but, like it or not, Waleed Aly is now a household name," Pickering said.

"The great thing about him is that's he's a common sense individual who has wide appeal. Here's this Muslim man who barracks for the Richmond Tigers coming out of academia and into the world of commercial TV, his moment has come."

The notion of celebrity is canvassed in the corresponding feature alongside images of Aly looking dapper in Ralph Lauren.

"I still don't regard myself as a celebrity and I find the whole notion laughable, really. I come from a world where the thing that's mattered most is the content or the issue, not the personality, and I still approach it that way," Aly said.

Whether he considers himself on the A-list or not he has since become a popular personality for local paps to trail. Images of Aly spotted in Adelaide looking like a deer caught in headlights dressed in a head to toe navy ensemble carrying a copy of The Australian Financial Review were being shopped around following the magazine's release last week.

Target hits the mark

While the pouts and posing over at Paris Fashion Week have been flooding social media, Melbourne was party central for the more down-to-earth lovers of fashion last week.

A highlight of the 20th annual Melbourne Fashion Festival was not only Vodka Cruisers being served and male models sporting Southern Cross tattoos, but the Target showcase which launched Jean Paul Gaultier's capsule collection for the retailer.

Australian-born, US-based model Nicole Trunfio returned home to open and close the showcase of nautical, Noughtie inspired womenswear, menswear and childrens ranges. "It's an amazing opportunity for Australia to have this collection and for Jean Paul Gaultier to share so much of his unique style with Target is great. I can't get this anywhere else in the world," she said tugging on the collar of the range's $299 leather jacket.

Following the capsule collection the catwalk was overrun by the retailer's ambassadors – Sonia Kruger, Jessica Mauboy, The Biggest Loser host Fiona Falkiner and Dannii Minogue. The four resembled what a local production of Sex and the City should look like. Wearing crisp white shirts and budget jeans – the four have never looked so glamorous and the fun they had on the catwalk was infectious.

As Mauboy donned a "so tight I can't breathe" cocktail dress to provide the live soundtrack, 120 looks were shown by a refreshingly diverse cast of models.

Aussie sheep get the Net-A-Porter tick of approval

One of my favourite party games to play is "what would you take with you to deserted island". My answer is always a lanolin- based lip balm.

The faces of Lanolips, Nadia Fairfax and Montana Cox. Photo: Supplied

Like the skincare brand's founder Kirsten Carriol I too grew up in rural Australia where lanolin was the moisturiser du jour of my childhood thanks to my grandmother's thrifty influence. The wax like substance is found naturally on sheep's wool and now the pastel colour tubes will be distributed to a new international, luxury audience on Wednesday when it launches on Net-A-Porter.

Being stocked by the world's biggest luxury e-tailer is a dream realised for Carriol whose driving passion is to make the all natural product fashionable again. The balm has received 50 beauty industry awards, including Best Skincare Product of 2015 by The Times London which caught the attention of Net-A-Porter buyers.

Carriol sources her lanolin from Australasian sheep and has it refined in Japan, now more than 170 countries will be exposed to her final products. Lanolips joins a small number of Australian brands now stocked by Net-A-Porter including Zimmermann and Original & Mineral haircare.

To celebrate the global push model Montana Cox and girl about town Nadia Fairfax will become the faces of Lanolips for an Australiana inspired social media campaign. Fairfax was creative director of the series that features Akubras, RM Williams and clothing by Australian designers. The images will appear on your news feed from Thursday.

Miranda Otto: QVB's new leading lady

Miranda Otto has come a long way since working the coffee machine at Sydney's Queen Victoria Building.

Not only is the actor preparing for her debut on TV thriller 24, she's also now the official face of the historic shopping complex.

Miranda Otto is the new face of the Queen Victoria Building. Photo: Simon Lekias

"Not many people know this but when you're an actor you sometimes have to do other things like waitress. I worked at a cafe at QVB while my friend, who was more refined than me, worked upstairs in a clothing boutique. I remember we served this Chicago deep dish pizza. Such good memories, I'm so glad that that heritage building was saved for Sydney," Otto said.

The actor, who splits her time between Australia and Los Angeles, follows in the footsteps of her father and sister, Barry and Gracie Otto who were the stars of QVB's 2015 campaign.

"The crew told me that last year they were asked if they could take anything home from the shoot what would it be and they all said 'Barry Otto'."

Autumn racing races into Sydney

Despite this heat, it's time to put away the straw hats and roll out the felt and fedoras as Autumn racing is almost here.

Myer will ride into Sydney this week to launch the retailer's Autumn racing looks with Jennifer Hawkins, Jodi Anasta and Rachael Finch set to break bread with Kyly Clarke, Samantha Armytage and Alex Perry at Silvereye this week.

Racing in the cooler months is where Sydney shines with the department store set to stage Fashions on the Field during day one of The Championships at Randwick over Easter. Let's just hope The Championships race days, held over two weekends, are a little brighter than last year when rain washed out day one and "celebrity ambassador" Nicole Richie rained on everyone's parade.

The Ellery woman has always been about strength and power and designer Kym Ellery's fall 2016 collection didn't stray far from her trademark. Yet while her flares were still flared and billowing blouses still bellowed, we saw an introduction of bold colour, texture and 19th century inspired style. International media, buyers and influences were treated to new metallic finishes and fur looking collars by the Australian designer who held her second on schedule PFW show at the Palais de Tokyo last week.